Machine for harvesting potatoes and like root crops.



H. DANIELS. MACHINE FOR HARVESTING POTATOES AND LIKE ROOT CROPS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, 1911.

Patentd July 23, 1912.

- way,

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY J'. DANIELS, OF ALBERT PARK, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.

MACHINE FOR HARVESTING POTATOES AND LIKE ROOT CROPS.

rected particularly to the provision of eX- ceedingly efficient meansfor making an implement of the above type perform its work with ease andrapidity. Furthermore, an implement constructed as hereinafter describedcan be economically manufactured and will be durable in wear while itsvarious parts can be readily interchanged when worn withoutnecessitating the employment of a skilled artisan.

In order that the invention may be thoroughly understood, reference willnow be made to the accompanying sheets of eX- planatory drawings,wherein Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a machine fitted withthe improvements constituting the present invention. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view insectional plan taken on the dotted line I-I of Fig. 1. Figs. 4 to 9 areviews illustrating details in the construction of the invention.

In these drawings like characters of reference have been employed toindicate similar parts in the different views and the numeral 1designates an open frame or body which is supported on suitabletraveling and steering wheels 2 and 3 respectively. The two hind or maintraveling wheels 2 are located at the rear of the frame or body 1 andsupport the greater part of the weight of the implement while the frontor steering wheels 3 are secured to the frame 1 and are operated in anapproved manner. The axle of the steering wheel is preferably providedwith a forwardly projecting bridle4 and a double strap 5 for thereception of a pole 6. Any approved form of draft gear can beSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 29, 1911.

Patented July 23, 1912.

Serial No. 646,614.

fitted to the said bridle 4 or to the pole strap 5 and it may bedetachably connected to a ring 7 or in any other suitable way.

An openwork cradle 8 is pivotally mounted on the axle 9 of the travelingwheels 2 and this said cradle is free to oscillate vertically betweenthe sides of the frame 1 before mentioned. This cradle 8 is provided atits fore end with a digging share 10 having an approved cutting edge andis intended to cut a sod of the requisite size to treat the crop. Theside rails of the cradle 8 are provided at their front ends withvertical plates 11 which depend slightly below the sides of the share 10and are sharpened on their front edges to serve as colters and are bentoutwardly at their rear to provide a free passage for the sod enteringthe machine. The sod cut by the share 10 and side plates 11 or coltersis passed upwardly through the cradle by means of traveling bearers 12secured to chains 13 which are mounted on sprockets 14 or the like.These sprockets 14 are mounted on spindles disposed transversely in thecradle 8 in an approved way. The rear edge of the share is scalloped(see Fig. 3) to permit of the free movement of the bearers 12 which areformed with spikes or teeth 15 on their upper surfaces. The saidsprockets 14 are driven from a wheel 16 loosely mounted on the axle 9and engaging a pinion on the spindle carrying the rear sprockets 14.This toothed wheel 16 may be made to take the motion of the travelingaXle 9 by means of a clutch member 17 slidably fitted to the latter andoperated by a lever 18 which is disposed in a convenient position forthe driver to operate without moving from his seat. Located at the rearof the vertical side plates 11 of the digging share 10 are a pluralityof rollers 19 having either plain, fluted or spiked peripheries. Theobject of these said rollers 19 is to prevent or relieve any congestionof the implement which may be caused by the sod being fed to the bearersand these rollers or the sides of the cradle 8 at the rear thereofpreferably open outwardly to provide ample room for the material to passfreely therethrough. The

rying the upper end of the chains 21.

top of the cradle 8 is fitted with a second set of sprockets 20 whichare adapted to impart motion to traveling chains 21 having cross-bars 22provided with long fingers or combs 23. These said traveling chains 21are operated in an opposite direction to those carrying the bearers 12by chain and sprocket gearings from the axle 9 of the traveling wheels.

The chain and sprocket gearing may comprise a wheel 24 loosely mountedon that end of the axle 9 opposite the one furnished with the toothedwheel 16 and adapted to' take the motion of the traveling axle 9 byoperating a clutch member 25 slidably mounted thereon. The said clutchmember is operated by a lever 26 which may be disposed as illustrated orin any other convenient position. A chain 27 connects the sprocket wheel24 to a second sprocket 28 fitted to one end of the transverse spindle29 car This chain 27 may be furnished with an idle roller or otherapproved means for taking up the slack. i

The traveling chains 13 of the bearers 12 are passed over two or moreelliptical sprockets 30 which impart a shaking motion to the bearers tobreak the sod thereby thoroughly separating the potatoes from the earth.The forward part of the cradle 8 is connected to the frame 1 by means ofan adjustable bar or flexible member 31 so that part of the pull is.taken directly from the cutting part of the implement. The connectingmeans shown in the drawings comprise chains having their lower endssecured to the cradle and their .upper ends connected to screw bolts 32which pass through lugs on the frame 1. The length of the said connections may be adjusted by operating nuts v 33 fitted to the saidbolts.

v The forward end of the frame is provided with two upwardly extendingbrackets 34 in which is oscillatorily supported a cross shaft 35 havingforwardly projecting arms 36 connected to the forward end of the Icradle 8 by means of links 37 Fitted rigidly to one end of the crossshaft 35 is a lever 38 which may be operated to raise and lower thefront of the cradle 8. The said i lever 38 may be held in any desiredposition by means of a pawl and quadrant device 39 or by any other wellknown means. The potatoes and lumps of earth after passing through themachine are deposited upon a screen 40 consisting of a number of springteeth or prongs of suitable length which knives 42 having their edgesfacing downwardly. These knives 42 are so disposed that the teeth of thecombs 23 pass upwardly therebetween and any weed or rubbish clinging tothe latter is cut into pieces and readily falls through the machine.Thus, it will be understood that the'knives keep the combs clean andthereby insure a maximum of efficiency. The forward combcarryingsprockets 20 are fitted to a cross shaft 43 having its ends revolublymounted in brackets 44. These brackets have depending arms 45 .formedwith a series of perforations for permitting a vertical adjustment ofthe shaft 43. The ends of the said shaft 43 are encircled by eyebolts 46which pass through lugs.47 on the forward ends of the ratchets 44 andare furnished with adjustment means as nuts 48. The obj ectof the saideyebolts and adjustment nuts is to provide means of adjusting thetension of the comb-carrying chains 21.

The outer ends of the traveling axle 9 are provided with sliding clutchmembers 49 which are adapted to engage the hubs of the hind travelingwheels when the same are rotating in a forward direction while beingfree to automatically disengage therefrom when the wheels reverse. Thismechanism permits the machine to turn around or be backed withoutcausing injury to the operative parts during which time the latter wouldbe stationary. The said clutch members 49 are retained in theiroperative position by means of coiled springs 50 which encircle the axle9 or by other similar means.

of the number of adjustments provided the machine may be made to suitdivers kinds of soils and conditions of crops, and further that variousmodifications may be made in the designs and operative parts of themachine within the scope of the invention as covered by the followingclaiming clauses.

What I do claim is 1. In a potato harvesting machine, a cradle havingside members and a digging share secured between the front ends of theside members above the lower edges of the latter, said side membersbeing provided at their front ends with upwardly extending side platessharpened at their front edges to form colters and having outturned rearends.

2. In a potato harvesting machine, a

cradle constituting a conveyer frame, said supported in rear of the rearedges of the cradle having side members provided at upwardly extendingside plates. 10 their front ends with upwardly extending In witnesswhereof I have signed this side plates sharpened at their front edgesspecification in the presence of two witnesses.

and having outturned rear edges, a digging HENRY J. DANIELS. sharesecured between the side members at Witnesses: the front ends and abovethe lower edges of A. J. CALLINAN,

the latter, and vertically disposed rollers V. A. ASHTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

